NAHCOTTA – Patrick Henry was appointed as commissioner on the Port of Peninsula Board at the Sept. 4 meeting.

Port Manager Mary DeLong says of Henry, “The board and I are looking forward to working with Patrick. He will be a wonderful addition as commissioner. His business experience will be very helpful in our pier project during the coming year and will also be a plus with our budget-setting process.”

Henry and wife Jo Ann came to the Peninsula in 1998, but have been visiting for many years. He worked at the port the summer of 1999, so he has experienced first-hand the port’s day-to-day operations. He and Harbor Master Larry Hendrickson replaced several boards on the loading and fuel dock under the direction of then Port Manager Howard Teague, as well as Henry working on a myriad of other maintenance projects.

Henry has also attended board meetings on a regular basis for about two years. “I learned the process and am hopeful I can help the port to continue to run smoothly,” he says. He is also a port customer as he moored a 24-foot sailboat there for four years before selling it and purchasing a 14-foot rowboat. “Boating is my passion,” he smiles. “I used the sailboat a lot and I’m now enjoying the rowboat, as well.”

As for his work as commissioner, Henry states, “I have the time now that I’m retired to devote to port business. I think I will have fun while I serve and that this will be a win-win situation for me. I believe the upgrading and replacing of the loading dock will change the face of the Port of Peninsula.”

Henry graduated from Stadium High School in Tacoma in 1958 after working for Foss Tug several summers. He enlisted in the Air Force where he was a sea search and rescue person and also took classes in data processing. Following his four year stint in the Air Force he worked for Foss Tug for six years and also took more data processing and other classes at Green River College and the University of Washington.

“I took a job at Boeing when it was offered because I received more pay and the hours were better,” Henry explains. He worked there for 26 years in the data processing and computer service departments. He was Organization Advisor when he retired, giving advice about budgets and personnel matters to all the different department heads.

Patrick and Jo Ann have four grown children and four grandchildren and two of their sons-in-law are active in the Air Force.

“I get teased often about my name,” Patrick Henry states. Rather than shouting, “Give me liberty or give me death,” Henry jokes, “I’m hoping my name will be easy to remember when I come up for election when my term is up in two years.”